An emotional mother was forcibly removed from her son's inquest today following dramatic scenes where she argued with the coroner about the investigation into the young man's tragic death abroad.
Heated Exchange Halts Proceedings
Rachel Kerry was ordered to leave the hearing after insisting that British police should be investigating her son Tyler's death during a holiday in Turkey, expressing suspicions that it was not an accident. The coroner, Michelle Brown, explained that hers was not a criminal court during a tense exchange that led to security being called and police being requested to attend.
By the time officers arrived, Ms Kerry had already departed the building, allowing the inquest to resume after a delay of approximately one hour. The hearing took place in Chelmsford with family members including Tyler's grandparents Ray and Collette Kerry, along with family friend Danielle Belton, who leads Rochford District Council.
Tragic Holiday Incident
Tyler Kerry, a 20-year-old furniture fitter from Pitsea, Essex, was discovered deceased at the bottom of a lift shaft at the all-inclusive Trendy Lara Hotel in Kundu, near Antalya, early on November 29, 2024. He was dressed only in his boxer shorts and socks, while his clothing, mobile phone, and a bloodstained vape were found scattered in different areas of the hotel complex.
The young man was holidaying abroad for the very first time with his grandparents Ray and Collette Kerry, aged 63 and 57 respectively, his younger brothers Mason and Nathan, and his girlfriend of four years, Molly Underdown. The devastated family firmly believes he was murdered, but Turkish authorities quickly concluded that no other individuals were involved in the incident.
Coroner's Frustration with International Limitations
Coroner Michelle Brown began the proceedings by warning attendees they would need to leave if they could not proceed appropriately. She emphasized that her investigation was not about assigning blame, describing the case as particularly unusual because the death occurred overseas.
"Everyone is aware that certain countries are not as forthcoming as others. Turkey is sadly one of those countries," Ms Brown stated. "They do not have reciprocal arrangements. Everything I have has been provided by Danielle and Collette."
Mother's Persistent Demands
Ms Kerry interrupted the proceedings, declaring: "I think there should be more investigating by Essex Police... The purpose of an inquest is to find out what happened to my son. What you have been told is a lie."
When the coroner suggested she travel to Turkey to investigate herself, Ms Kerry responded: "I am asking you to adjourn it. I would rather you give us some time and I get an investigation and try to find something out."
As tensions escalated, Tyler's mother insisted: "It should be a criminal hearing because my son is a British citizen." Despite repeated warnings that she would be asked to leave if she continued arguing, Ms Kerry refused to back down, leading the coroner to eventually declare she had "no jurisdiction in the UK to investigate" before leaving the room.
Narrative Conclusion Recorded
After the inquest reconvened, Coroner Brown recorded a narrative conclusion, stating: "I cannot say this was an accident – I do not know. This death of Tyler, as is expected, has caused distress to the family. The family have many questions as to what happened."
The hearing revealed that Tyler had arrived at the Turkish hotel on November 28, 2024. Barely a day into their stay, the family had been watching entertainment before retiring for the evening. Mason Kerry had left his brother sleeping on a sofa in the hotel lobby, but when he returned just five minutes later, Tyler had vanished, leaving behind one shoe and his T-shirt.
Discovery of the Body
Attempts were made to contact Tyler via his mobile phone before his girlfriend discovered him unresponsive in the lift shaft. The lift was described as a glass "capsule" within a glass case, one of two such lifts in the hotel. The specific shaft where Tyler was found was reportedly only being used by staff as it accessed a section of the hotel undergoing refurbishment.
A ventilation window existed in the outer glass case of the lift, and Tyler's body was positioned opposite this opening after an 80-foot fall. His grandparents were awakened, and Ray Kerry attempted to pry open the lift doors before staff arrived with a key to unlock them. He then jumped down to his grandson, who was lying face down with his arms positioned straight by his sides.
Paramedics reached the scene within fifteen minutes but were unable to revive the young man. Turkish authorities suggested he might have opened the window and jumped to his death, but the family strongly disputes this theory, noting that Tyler showed no signs of suicidal tendencies and that climbing through the small window opening would have been extremely difficult.
Unanswered Questions and Suspicious Findings
Adding to the mystery, Tyler's trousers were discovered inside out in a corridor near the lift, his vape was found with blood on it, and his mobile phone was located smashed outside a hotel room. During a previous hearing, the family expressed concerns they might never receive complete answers because they believed the Turkish police investigation was fundamentally flawed.
A full inquest hearing in January had been adjourned in an attempt to gather additional evidence. That hearing revealed that items belonging to Tyler had not been properly seized by police, potentially contaminating them as evidence. The family reported that when they returned from identifying Tyler's body at the mortuary approximately six hours later, the lift was already operational "as if nothing had happened."
Additional Concerns About Hotel Security
There were also claims that another young guest had previously been assaulted by security guards in the hotel basement. A post-mortem examination conducted by Turkish authorities determined Tyler died as a result of the fall, with toxicology tests showing he had consumed alcohol equivalent to twice the UK drink-drive limit.
A UK pathologist's findings confirmed death resulted from multiple injuries and blunt force trauma, noting "nothing to suggest that Tyler's death was due to the action or inaction of a third party." The family sought assistance from the charity Justice Abroad, which arranged for another post-mortem examination, but this failed to uncover any new evidence.
Family Background and Final Remarks
The inquest heard that Tyler had been raised by his grandparents from a young age and maintained a "limited" relationship with his mother despite it being generally positive. Closing the hearing, Coroner Brown described the case as "a bit like watching a bad film" for the family members.
She added: "Tyler was enjoying himself with close family on holiday. Like any other boy of that age, he'd had a drink. On the balance of probabilities, I won't say what happened. Did he remove his trousers to climb through the window? I cannot say why his trousers were inside out. The family want answers which I cannot provide."
Speaking outside the court, Collette Kerry expressed some relief with the narrative conclusion, stating it was preferable to having "suicide" or "accident" recorded. Rachel Kerry had departed the premises and was unavailable for comment following the proceedings.
